Shasta County Family Mediation

Local Mediation. Without the Drive.

Independent private mediation for families throughout Shasta County, with convenient online sessions.

Conflict is difficult enough without having to travel hours to find help resolving it.

Shasta County Family Mediation provides a private, neutral place for individuals and families to work through disagreements, explore possible solutions, and make their own decisions about what happens next.

Based locally in Shasta County. Sessions are conducted conveniently online.

Serving Redding, Anderson, Shasta Lake, Cottonwood, Palo Cedro and communities throughout Shasta County.

A Different Way to Resolve Family Conflict

Not every disagreement needs to become a courtroom battle.

Mediation brings the people involved together with a neutral mediator who helps facilitate productive conversation, identify the issues that need to be resolved, explore possible solutions, and work toward agreements everyone can accept.

You remain in control of the decisions.

The mediator does not decide who wins, represent either participant, or tell either person what they should do.

Instead, mediation creates a structured opportunity to find a way forward together.

How Mediation Works

Mediation provides a structured, private setting where people can work through disagreements with the assistance of a neutral mediator. The mediator facilitates the conversation and helps participants identify issues, explore options, and work toward agreements they both can accept.

Confidential

Mediation is designed to allow participants to have open and productive conversations in a confidential setting. California law provides important confidentiality protections for mediation communications, subject to limited exceptions.

Neutral

The mediator does not take sides, determine who is right or wrong, or make decisions for the participants. The mediator's role is to support a fair and productive process while remaining neutral.

Voluntary

The participants—not the mediator—decide whether to reach an agreement and what that agreement will contain. No one is required to accept a proposed resolution simply because it was discussed during mediation.

You Stay in Control

Unlike a court proceeding, where a judge may ultimately make decisions for you, mediation gives participants the opportunity to develop their own solutions. Any agreement is created by the people who will actually have to live with it.

Independent Legal Advice Is Welcome

A mediator is not a substitute for an attorney and does not provide either participant with legal advice. Participants are encouraged to consult with independent attorneys whenever they want legal advice about their rights, options, or a proposed agreement.

Separate Conversations When Helpful

At times, the mediator may meet privately with each participant during mediation. These separate conversations can provide space to discuss concerns, consider possible solutions, and determine how to move the conversation forward.

Focused on Resolution

Mediation is not about proving who is the better person or winning an argument. The focus is on identifying what needs to be resolved and determining whether there is a solution the participants can mutually accept.

Conveniently Online

Mediation sessions are conducted remotely, allowing participants to join from separate locations while working together with the same neutral mediator.

Private. Neutral. Practical. Focused on finding a way forward.

Mediation Services & Packages

Divorce & Separation

Work through the practical decisions that accompany separation or divorce, including property, debts, parenting arrangements, family expenses and other matters that need to be resolved.

Flat-fee packages from $2,500| Up to 8 hours of mediation

Child Custody & Parenting

Develop parenting schedules, holiday and vacation arrangements, communication expectations, decision-making processes and other parenting-plan issues.

Flat-fee packages from $1,500| Up to 5 hours of mediation

Post-Divorce & Co-Parenting

Resolve new disagreements or proposed changes without immediately returning to an adversarial process.

Flat-fee packages from $1,500| Up to 5 hours of mediation

Probate & Inheritance

Address disagreements among family members, heirs and beneficiaries concerning estate property, inheritance, responsibilities and other family conflicts arising during estate administration.

Flat-fee packages from $1,750| Up to 5 hours of mediation

Elder & Family Decisions

Work through disagreements involving caregiving, responsibilities among family members, living arrangements, property and other decisions affecting an aging family member.

Flat-fee packages from $1,500| Up to 5 hours of mediation

Focused Mediation

Sometimes there is only one issue standing in the way.

Focused Mediation provides a structured process for resolving a clearly defined parenting, property, financial, probate or other family dispute.

$750 flat fee | Up to 2 hours of mediation

No hourly billing. No surprise invoices.

Each package is offered for a flat fee and includes up to the stated amount of mediation time.

If additional mediation is needed, participants may choose to purchase an additional flat-fee package

at $750, up to 2 hours of additional mediation.

About the Mediator

Heather Buchanan

Certified Mediator | Shasta County, California

I believe people are often capable of finding solutions to difficult conflicts when they are given the right environment in which to have the conversation.

My role as a mediator is not to decide who is right, take sides, or tell participants what they should do. It is to create a neutral, structured space where each person can be heard, the issues can be clearly identified, and practical solutions can be explored.

My background in psychology gives me a strong foundation for understanding communication, interpersonal dynamics, and the ways conflict can affect families. My mediation training further developed my ability to facilitate difficult conversations while remaining neutral and focused on resolution.

I also bring practical experience navigating complex family and estate matters, where disagreements are rarely just about money, property, or schedules. Family history, relationships, communication, and deeply held concerns often exist alongside the practical issues that need to be resolved.

As a Shasta County resident, I created Shasta County Family Mediation to make private mediation more accessible to people in our community. Sessions are conducted online, allowing participants throughout the county to work with a local mediator without the need to travel.

My approach is straightforward: listen carefully, remain neutral, keep the conversation productive, and help participants determine whether they can find a way forward together.

Education & Training

Certified Mediator

B.A., Psychology

B.A., Metaphysics

Shasta County Family Mediation provides neutral mediation services.

Heather Buchanan does not represent either participant and does not provide legal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do both people have to agree to mediation?

Yes. Mediation is a voluntary process. Both participants must be willing to participate. If you are interested in mediation but have not yet discussed it with the other person, you may still submit a mediation request to learn more about the process.

Do we need attorneys to participate in mediation?

No. You do not need to have an attorney to participate in private mediation. You are always free to consult with an independent attorney before, during, or after the mediation process if you would like legal advice about your individual rights or options.

Is mediation confidential?

California law provides significant confidentiality protections for mediation communications, subject to certain exceptions. Confidentiality allows participants to explore possible solutions and have productive conversations in a private setting.

The mediation agreement will explain confidentiality in greater detail before mediation begins.

Are mediation sessions online?

Yes. Shasta County Family Mediation is locally based in Shasta County, and mediation sessions are conducted online. Participants can generally join from separate locations, eliminating the need to travel while still working together with a local mediator.

What if we already have a court case?

You can still participate in private mediation when a court case is pending. Mediation may help participants resolve some or all of the issues involved in the case. You remain responsible for complying with all court orders, filing requirements, and deadlines unless the court orders otherwise.

Can the mediator give us legal advice?

No. The mediator is a neutral and does not represent either participant or provide either person with legal advice.

The mediator can facilitate discussion, help identify the issues that need to be resolved, and assist participants in exploring possible solutions. Participants may obtain independent legal advice whenever they choose.

Does the mediator decide who is right?

No. A mediator is not a judge and does not determine who wins or loses. The mediator manages the process and facilitates the conversation. The participants make the decisions.

What happens if we don't reach an agreement?

There is no requirement that mediation result in an agreement. Sometimes participants resolve every issue, sometimes they resolve only certain issues, and sometimes no agreement is reached.

You remain in control of whether you accept any proposed resolution.

What happens when we do reach an agreement?

The mediator can memorialize the terms reached during mediation within the appropriate scope of the mediation service. Depending on the nature of the matter, participants may wish or need to have an attorney review the terms or take additional steps before an agreement becomes legally enforceable or is submitted to a court.

How much does mediation cost?

Shasta County Family Mediation uses flat-fee packages rather than hourly billing.

Packages begin at $750 for Focused Mediation, with different packages available depending on the type and scope of the matter.

There are no automatic hourly charges if additional mediation is needed. Participants can decide whether they would like to purchase an additional flat-fee mediation package.

Do we have to split the mediation fee 50/50?

No. Participants may divide the mediation fee between themselves in whatever manner they mutually agree upon.

How the fee is divided does not affect the mediator's neutrality.

What if I only need help resolving one issue?

You may not need a comprehensive mediation package.

Focused Mediation is designed for a clearly defined dispute and includes up to two hours of mediation for a $750 flat fee.

Can I contact you even if I'm not sure mediation will work for us?

Absolutely.

You don't need to know whether mediation will ultimately resolve the disagreement before reaching out.

Click the Request Mediation button above and fill out the form with some basic information about your situation, and we'll determine whether your matter appears appropriate for mediation and discuss the next step.